X-ray speculum



Dec. 12, 1950 o. c, HQLLSTElN 2,534,126

x-RAY SPECULA Filed Sept. 4, 1948 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1950 X-RAY SPECULUM Oswald Conrad Hollstein, Secaucus, N. J., as-

signor to F-R Machine Works, Woodside, N. Y.,

a firm Application September 4, 1948, Serial No. 47,900

6 Claims.

This invention relates to novel articles of manufacture and more particularly to devices employed in the field of radiation and especially those concerned with X-rays In one of its more speciii'c aspects the invention is directed to that class of devices used in the Rntgen therapy of the cervix.

In accordance with this invention I have provided novel vaginal specula which may be employed to facilitate the Rntgen therapy of the cervix while preventing necrosis oi the vulva and the vaginal introitus due to over-radiation.

The various advantages and objects of the present invention #will be apparent from the following description and drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of the invention in combination with a source of X-rays.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2*-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of 1Eig. 2 but with a single X-ray shield or apron instead of th three shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an X-ray shield or apron.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a split band or retaining ring.

As shown in the drawings, the speculu-m combination may include a coupling head Ill. The head I is a frustro-conical element preferably composed of metal and having a cylindrical inside wall I I. The upper end l2 of said cylindrical wall II is threaded. The head IS has a narrow circular slot I3 therein just below the lower limit of threaded end I2, and just below the slot I3 is a narrow circular shoulder lll. The internal upper end of the head it tapers upwardly outwardly or is inclined downwardly to provide a receiving and aligning mouth l5. A cylindrical tubing I is secured to the head lil in any convenient manner. The tubing IS may be composed of any suitable X-ray permeable material and preferably of a plastic. The tubing iii is preferably a relatively thin Walled hollow cylinder whose lower end has been out oi at an angle of about 45 to the longitudinal axis ofthe cylinder. The upper end of the tubing I5 may be force fitted into the lower end of the head it! so that they are secured to each other by mere frictional engagement. In this assembly the upper edge of the tubing IS is located below the slot I3 and is limited by stop shoulder I4. Various tubings IE may be provided in the same diameter and oi three different lengths so that each of them may be interchangeably secured to a particular head le.

The combination of head Il] and tubing it may have one or more X-ray shields or aprons 2Q dee mountably coupled therewith. Each apron 2i) may comprise an elongated portion EI oi a cylinder having a narrow ilange 22 integral therewith and extending outwardly therefrom. The aprons 2@ are generally composed of lead or other X-ray impermeable material and may be readily combined with the cylinder le and head IB by inserting the apron 2li therein and locating the flange 222 thereof in the slot I3. Then after the desired number of aprons are located in the tube i6 (three as shown in Fig. 2 and one in Fig. 3), an X-ray permeable split band or spring ring 25 is compressed and inserted in the tube Iii and slid over the aprons The ring 25 autmatically springs outwardly to press the apron Ztl against the inside iace of tubing le to demountably maintain the apron in location. When a removal of aprons 2d is desired, the ring 25 is pulled or pushed out of the tube lli, the apron 2i! is moved to remove its flange 22 out of slot I3 and slid out of the tube It.

If desired a centering hollow cylinder 353 may be coupled with the head Ill. This cylinder 3i] may also be composed of metal and has an outside threaded lower end 3l and an inwardly bevelled flange 32 at its upper end. The cylinder 38 may be threadedly connected to the threaded end of the head It as shown in Fig. 1. If desired, the threaded end oi the cylinder Si! may be screwed down so that the lower face of the head 3Q bears against the upper face oi the flanges 22 to maintain the shield 2li in position. However, its main purpose is to interlock the centering element 4l and the head i@ to facilitate forced sidewise movement of the centering element ill and head Ill as one unit for the desired positioning in the vagina.

The novel assembly of head IIJ, tubing I6, aprons 2S, spring band 25 and centering element 3!! may constitute a unitary assembly. This assembly may be manipulated to locate the normaliy free end of the tube l@ in the desired location in the vagina, for example. Then a position iixing locator comprising an annular mem ber il!) having a depending hollow centering element 4i secured thereto is moved into position so that the centering element 30 is inserted into the centering member lli. The free end of the centering member l!! is inclined downwardly and is complementary to the upper end of head In so. that the lower end of member 4I is located and nts in the upper part of head Il). After the locator is placed in the aforementioned position, it is locked in position (locking elements not shown) to maintain the aforementioned speculum assembly in position. Then the X-ray tube 50 and housing 5l are moved into position and locked to the locator through an annular member 52 secured to the X-ray tube housing.

While this invention has been described in detail it is not to be limited thereby, because it is subject to various changes and modications.

I claim:

l. A device of the class described comprising a coupling head, an elongated X-ray permeable tube demountably carried by said head, said head having a recess therein, an Xray shield located in said tube, means secured to said shield and extending outwardly therefrom, said means located in said recess and a split ring located in said tube and bearing against the inside surface of said shield to maintain said shield in position in said tube.

2. A device of the class described comprising a coupling head, an elongated X-ray permeable tube demountably carried by said head, said head having a recess therein, an X-ray shield located in said tube, a iiange secured to said shield and extending outwardly therefrom, said ange located in said recess and a split ring located in said tube and maintaining said shield in position.

3. A device of the class described comprising a coupling head, an elongated X-ray permeable tube extending into one end of said head and demountably carried thereby, said head having a recess therein, an X-ray shield located in said tube, means secured to said shield and extending outwardly therefrom, said means located in said recess, and a tube extending into and demountably connected to the other end of said head.

4. A device of the class described comprising a coupling head, an elongated X-ray permeable tube extending into one end of said head and demountably connected to said head, said head having a circular recess therein, an X-ray shield located in said tube, a ange extending outwardly from said shield and located in said recess, and a split ringy located in said tube for maintaining said shield in position in said tube.

5. A device of the class described comprising a coupling head, X-ray permeable speculum de mountably carried by said head and extending outwardly from one end thereof, a tube carried by said head and extending outwardly from the other end thereof, said tube being demountably carried by said head.

6. A device of the class described comprising a coupling head, X-ray permeable speculum demountably carried by said head and extending outwardly from one end thereof, a tube demountably carried by said head and extending outwardly from the other end thereof, and a locator including a centering element, one end of said centering element being substantially complementary to one end of said head with said ends adapted to intert, said centering element having an opening therethrough for accommodating said tube upon said interfitting of said ends of said centering element and said head.

OSWALD CONRAD HOLLSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 719,915 Waite Feb. 3, 1903 1,600,867 Coolidge Sept. 21, 1926 1,940,671 Anderson Dec. 26, 1933 2,436,279 Wilson Feb. 17, 1948 

